Bex April May

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is a forthcoming first-person action-horror game developed by Mad Head Games under Barker’s supervision. Director Emil Esov says the game prioritizes sustained discomfort over jump scares, using grotesque imagery, stressful stealth kills and an oppressive interpretation of Pinhead and the Cenobites. Barker helped shape the characters, themes and rules of the setting, while Doug Bradley returns to voice Pinhead. Players control Aidan Lynch as he uses the Genesis Configuration to rescue his girlfriend from the Labyrinth, where the powerful Cenobites cannot be defeated in combat. The game aims to introduce Hellraiser to a new audience without softening its combination of violence, sex, beauty and pain.

My Arms Are Longer Now is a comedy stealth game from Melbourne-based Toot Games in which players control a misbehaving extended arm that steals objects, slaps characters and creates chaos without fail states. Co-founders Matthew Jackson and Millie Holten developed the concept from a game-jam prototype, building it around improvised comedy, more than 40 speaking characters and optional interactions. The studio rebuilt the game in 3D to support its elaborate arm physics, while publisher Jackbox Games backed its short, joke-focused design rather than demanding additional puzzles.

GPTrack50’s forthcoming action RPG Stupid Never Dies follows Davy, a weak zombie who falls in love with the frozen corpse of Julia and seeks to revive her by defeating the King of Monsters. The game combines aggressive combat with mechanics that let players consume monsters to steal their abilities and replace Davy’s limbs with weapons. Founded by former Capcom producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi, the roughly 30-person studio used its independence from established franchises to create a stranger, darker and more comedic new IP.

Monopoly Go! has launched a two-month collaboration bringing Springfield, Simpsons characters, original storylines, animated shorts and themed mini-games into the mobile game. Developer Scopely worked closely with Simpsons writers, animators and voice actors rather than simply licensing the characters, with contributors including Loni Steele Sosthand and veteran animator Eric Keyes. The project reflects how The Simpsons has continually adapted across gaming and entertainment formats, while the live-service model gives the long-running franchise an expandable platform for new stories and fan engagement.

Out of Words is a cooperative stop-motion adventure created by a 40-person studio in Aarhus, Denmark. Built from clay, fabric, wood and glue and integrated into Unreal Engine through custom scanning and photogrammetry, it follows Kurt and Karla as they navigate the emotional uncertainty of first love. Its two-player design uses trust, communication and shared challenges to mirror the players’ relationship, with puzzles shaped around emotion rather than combat. The game is planned for release on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox in 2026.

A return to the rereleased The Sims 1 and 2 reveals a darker game than childhood memories suggested: Sims work long hours for low wages, struggle to build relationships, face lethal household hazards and remain trapped by economic inequality. The game’s capitalist and dystopian elements feel especially resonant amid contemporary burnout and economic anxiety, yet its humour, controllable chaos and cheat codes preserve its appeal as an escape where even catastrophic failures can be reversed.

Triband’s What the Car? deliberately rejects realistic racing conventions, casting players as a legged car that runs, climbs, flies, swims and tackles hundreds of absurd challenges. Creative director Tim Garbos explains that the Copenhagen studio’s lack of interest in real cars helped it subvert expectations, while maintaining enough structure and gameplay depth to sustain hours of play. The PC version expands on the Apple Arcade release with monthly updates and a level creator, and continues Triband’s focus on comedy games established by What the Golf? and What the Bat?. Garbos argues that comedy remains underrepresented in video games and sees player laughter as the central purpose of the studio’s work.

UFO 50 is an anthology of 50 complete retro-styled games created by a six-person indie development team led in part by Derek Yu. Framed as the catalogue of a fictional 1980s company called UFO Soft, the collection spans puzzles, platformers, RPGs, tactical games and experimental hybrids, combining 8-bit aesthetics with modern mechanics. Several games are substantial, including the potentially 20-hour RPG Grimstone, while recurring characters and a fictional release timeline connect the catalogue. The project is intended to capture the mystery, experimentation and sense of discovery associated with early video games, and is scheduled for release in September 2024.

A 2007 film adaptation of The Sims, written by Brian Lynch, was developed by 20th Century Fox with support from Electronic Arts and creator Will Wright but ultimately stalled because its live-action concept required extensive and costly special effects. Lynch’s proposed story followed a shy teenager whose Sims game began controlling his town before an antagonistic character transformed it into a monster-filled video-game world. The new adaptation, produced by Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap and directed by Kate Herron, may draw on the games’ recurring characters, mysteries and expansive lore, while benefiting from the recent resurgence of successful video-game films.

The Guardian’s critics recommend 33 overlooked games released in 2023, spanning puzzle games, strategy titles, horror, platformers, narrative adventures, shooters and experimental indie releases. Highlights include Viewfinder’s inventive photography mechanic, Season: A Letter to the Future’s meditation on a dying world, Videoverse’s evocation of early-2000s internet culture, and Turbo Overkill’s hyperactive shooter action. The selection emphasizes creative design, distinctive art direction and memorable storytelling beyond the year’s major blockbuster releases.

Universal Studios Florida’s Halloween Horror Nights features a live-action haunted house based directly on The Last of Us video game. Co-creator Neil Druckmann guides the Guardian through recreated Pittsburgh locations populated by actors portraying Joel, Ellie and Cordyceps-infected creatures, with original voice actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson recording new dialogue. Universal combines detailed sets, timed scares, lighting effects and specialized costumes to create an immersive experience distinct from the game and television series. Druckmann says the attraction expands the franchise while remaining a limited-time experience, and that future adaptations will depend on whether they offer something fresh, excellent and appealing to fans.

Recreate Games’ debut title, Party Animals, is a physics-based multiplayer brawler featuring customizable animal characters, including corgis, cats, otters and dinosaurs. Studio head PM says the game was inspired by Gang Beasts, competitive strategy games and his family’s pets, with several characters based on animals owned by the development team. Alongside arena fights, it offers activities such as football and stealing objectives, emphasizing shared amusement over winning. Party Animals is scheduled for release on Xbox and PC on 20 September 2023.